§15ὁρῶν δʼ αὐτόν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, κακοήθη, καὶ τὸ μὲν ἐξ ἀρχῆς τοῦ Μνησικλέους κατηγοροῦντα πρὸς ἡμᾶς, πάλιν δʼ ᾧ φίλος ἦν τὰ μάλιστα, τῷ Εὐέργῳ, τούτῳ προσκεκρουκότα, καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ὡς ἐγὼ κατέπλευσα, ἅσμενον φάσκονθʼ ἑορακέναι με, ἐπειδὴ δʼ ἔδει τὰ δίκαια ποιεῖν, ἐμοὶ πάλιν δυσκολαίνοντα, καὶ ἅπασι μέχρι τοῦ προλαβεῖν καὶ τυχεῖν ὧν δέοιτο φίλον ὄντα, μετὰ ταῦτα δʼ ἐχθρὸν καὶ διάφορον γιγνόμενον, §16ἠξίουν ἀπαλλαττόμενος καὶ πρατὴρ ὑπὲρ τούτου γιγνόμενος, πάντων ἀφεθεὶς τῶν ἐγκλημάτων καὶ ἀπαλλαγείς, οὕτω διαλύεσθαι.
Seeing, gentlemen of Athens, that he was malicious, and that, whereas at first he accused Mnesicles to us, he had in turn clashed with Euergos, with whom he was on the most friendly terms, and that, while at first, when I sailed home, he claimed to be glad to have seen me, when it became necessary to do what was just, he in turn became hostile to me, and that, while he was a friend to everyone until he could gain and obtain what he wanted, he afterward became an enemy and at variance, I demanded, in being discharged and becoming the seller on his behalf, that I should be released and freed from all claims, and only on these terms settle the dispute.
τούτων δὲ συγχωρηθέντων οὗτος μὲν ἀφῆκεν ἁπάντων ἐμέ, ἐγὼ δὲ πρατήρ, ὥσπερ ἐδεῖθʼ οὗτος, τῶν κτημάτων ἐγιγνόμην, καθάπερ αὐτὸς ἐπριάμην παρὰ Μνησικλέους.
When these terms were agreed to, this man released me from all claims, and I became the seller of the properties, as he requested, on the same terms as I myself had bought them from Mnesicles.
κομισάμενος δὲ τἀμαυτοῦ καὶ τοῦτον οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν ἀδικῶν, μὰ τοὺς θεούς, οὐδʼ ἂν εἴ τι γένοιτο, ᾠήθην ἂν δίκην μοι λαχεῖν ποτὲ τουτονί.
Having recovered my own property and doing this man not the slightest wrong, by the gods, I never would have thought, whatever might happen, that this man would ever bring a suit against me.
§17τὰ μὲν δὴ γεγενημένα, καὶ περὶ ὧν οἴσετε τὴν ψῆφον, καὶ διʼ ἃ τὴν δίκην συκοφαντούμενος παρεγραψάμην μὴ εἰσαγώγιμον εἶναι, ταῦτʼ ἐστιν, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί.
These are the facts, gentlemen of the jury, both concerning the matters on which you are to vote, and the reasons why, because of his malicious prosecution, I entered a special plea that the suit is inadmissible.
παρασχόμενος δὲ μάρτυρας οἳ παρῆσαν ἡνίκʼ ἀφιέμην ὑπὸ τούτου καὶ ἀπηλλαττόμην, ὡς οὐκ εἰσαγώγιμος ἐκ τῶν νόμων ἐστὶν ἡ δίκη, μετὰ ταῦτʼ ἐπιδείξω.
After presenting witnesses who were present when I was released and discharged by him, I shall subsequently demonstrate that the suit is inadmissible under the laws.
καί μοι λέγε ταύτην τὴν μαρτυρίαν.
Please read this deposition for me.
ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ.
λέγε δή μοι καὶ τὴν τῶν ἐωνημένων μαρτυρίαν, ἵνʼ εἰδῆθʼ ὅτι τούτου κελεύοντος αὔτʼ ἀπεδόμην οἷς οὗτος ἐκέλευσεν.
DEPOSITION. Please read also the deposition of the purchasers, so that you may know that it was at his bidding that I sold the property to those whom he directed.
ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ.
DEPOSITION.
§18οὐ τοίνυν μόνον ἡμῖν εἰσιν οὗτοι μάρτυρες, ὡς ἀφείμεθα καὶ νῦν συκοφαντούμεθα, ἀλλὰ καὶ Πανταίνετος αὐτός.
Therefore, we have as witnesses of our being released and now maliciously prosecuted not only these men, but also Pantaenetus himself.
ὅτε γὰρ λαγχάνων Εὐέργῳ τὴν δίκην εἴασεν ἐμέ, τότʼ ἐμαρτύρει πρὸς ἔμʼ αὑτῷ μηδὲν ἔγκλημʼ ὑπόλοιπον εἶναι· οὐ γὰρ ἂν δήπου, τῶν αὐτῶν ἀδικημάτων παρόντων, ἀμφοῖν δʼ ὁμοίως ἐγκαλῶν, τὸν μὲν εἴασεν τῷ δʼ ἐδικάζετο.
For when, in bringing his suit against Euergos, he left me alone, he then testified to me that no claim was left against me; for surely, when the same wrongs were alleged and he was complaining against both alike, he would not have let one go and proceeded against the other.
ἀλλὰ μὴν ὅτι γʼ οὐκ ἐῶσιν οἱ νόμοι περὶ τῶν οὕτω πραχθέντων πάλιν λαγχάνειν, οἶμαι μὲν ὑμᾶς καὶ μηδὲν εἰπόντος ἐμοῦ γιγνώσκειν· ὅμως δὲ λέγʼ αὐτοῖς καὶ τὸν νόμον τουτονί.
But indeed, that the laws do not allow a suit to be brought again concerning matters thus settled, I think you know even without my saying anything; nevertheless, read this law for them.
ΝΟΜΟΣ.
LAW.
§19ἀκούετʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, τοῦ νόμου λέγοντος ἄντικρυς, ὧν ἂν ἀφῇ καὶ ἀπαλλάξῃ τις, μηκέτι τὰς δίκας εἶναι.
Hear, gentlemen of the jury, how the law says explicitly that there shall be no further actions for matters from which anyone has been released and discharged.
καὶ μὴν ὅτι γʼ ἀμφότερʼ ἐστὶ πεπραγμένα ταῦτα τούτῳ πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ἠκούσατε τῶν μαρτυριῶν.
And indeed, that both of these have been done by this man toward us, you have heard from the testimonies.
ἁπάντων μὲν τοίνυν τῶν ἐν τοῖς νόμοις ἀπειρημένων οὐ προσήκει δικάζεσθαι, ἥκιστα δὲ τούτων.
While, therefore, it is improper to bring suits for any of the things forbidden by the laws, it is least of all proper for these.
ἃ μὲν γὰρ τὸ δημόσιον πέπρακεν, ἔχοι τις ἂν εἰπεῖν ὡς ἀδίκως οὐ προσήκοντα πέπρακεν· §20καὶ περὶ ὧν ἔγνω τὸ δικαστήριον, ἔστιν εἰπεῖν ὡς ἐξαπατηθὲν τοῦτʼ ἐποίησεν, καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν ἐν τῷ νόμῳ καθʼ ἑκάστου γένοιτʼ ἄν τις εἰκότως λόγος.
For as to what the state has sold, one might argue that it has sold what did not belong to it unjustly; and concerning what the court has decided, it is possible to say that it did so because it was deceived, and concerning each of the other cases in the law, some plausible argument might be made.
ἃ δʼ αὐτὸς ἐπείσθη καὶ ἀφῆκεν, οὐκ ἔνι δήπουθεν εἰπεῖν οὐδʼ αὑτὸν αἰτιάσασθαι, ὡς οὐ δικαίως ταῦτʼ ἐποίησεν.
But what a man has himself been persuaded to release, it is surely impossible to say, or to accuse oneself, that he did this unjustly.
οἱ μὲν οὖν παρά τι τῶν ἄλλων τούτων δικαζόμενοι τοῖς ὑφʼ ἑτέρων δικαίοις ὡρισμένοις οὐκ ἐμμένουσιν, ὁ δʼ ὧν ἂν ἀφῇ πάλιν λαγχάνων τοῖς ὑφʼ ἑαυτοῦ.
Those, therefore, who bring suits contrary to any of these other provisions do not abide by the justice established by others, but he who sues again for what he has released does not abide by what was established by himself.
διὸ πάντων μάλιστʼ ἄξιον τούτοις χαλεπαίνειν.
Wherefore, most of all, it is fitting to be angry with these men.
§21οὐκοῦν ὡς μὲν ἀφῆκέ με πάντων, ὅτʼ ἐγιγνόμην τῶν ἀνδραπόδων πρατήρ, ἐπέδειξα· ὅτι δʼ οὐκ ἐῶσιν οἱ νόμοι τούτων εἶναι δίκας, ἀκηκόατʼ ἀρτίως ἀναγιγνωσκομένου τοῦ νόμου.
Now, that he released me from all claims when I became the seller of the slaves, I have demonstrated; and that the laws do not allow suits concerning these matters, you have just heard from the reading of the law.
ἵνα δʼ, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, μή τις οἴηται τοῖς περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων αὐτῶν δικαίοις ἁλισκόμενόν μʼ ἐπὶ τοῦτʼ ἀποχωρεῖν, καὶ καθʼ ἕκαστον ὧν ἐγκαλεῖ βούλομαι δεῖξαι αὐτὸν ψευδόμενον.
But, gentlemen of Athens, lest anyone should think that I am retreating to this plea because I am being caught on the actual justice of the facts, I wish to show also that he is lying concerning each of the points of his accusation.